PAPER VS PAPERLESS OFFICE, WHICH IS MORE BENEFICIAL?
The debate on paper vs. paperless office has been started since the very birth of technology and digital advancement. Paper has been enjoying a great success and productive tenure from the time when it was first introduced in ancient times in Egyptian society. Paper industry dominated the world for a very long time and it was the only source of communication for over centuries. On the other hand, technology brought advancement and development in the lives of people, thus resulting in a paperless society where offices want to substitute paper with digital copies of them so that the office is free of paper clutter and data is more secure. Digital Document Management System is the new trend of transforming paper offices into paperless offices.
Document Imaging System is the process of making digital imaged copies of paper documents through scanners and cameras and then these images are uploaded
This article is going to compare paper vs. paperless by analyzing the pros and cons of both, leading to the final verdict of which one of them is more beneficial for businesses and offices. First of all, let’s have a look at the advantages and disadvantages of using paper in offices.
ADVANTAGES OF PAPER
Many analysts of the on-going debate of paper vs. paperless accept that paper has lost its importance over the course of time but it cannot be eradicated completely from the commerce industry. There are some advantages of paper that tech-centric world is missing. They are discussed below.
1) Paper, no doubt, is the universal medium of communication and information, which was prevalent for ages. History is evident in the underlying importance of paper in the businesses.
Although the digital industry is making progress by leaps and bounds, the paper is still the go-to choice of industries and it still sets the standard globally. According to PMG also known as Print Management, in Europe, 90% of the offices are still in use of paper to this day.
2) The digital world and buzz in it are efficient enough to show up its benefits to the new modernized world but eventually, a paper is more professional. Files on a computer do not look that professional from a business point of view that cannot be attained through digital electronic means.
3) It is fact that paper is less dangerous to the human eye than the computer screens and monitors. Computer screens can cause carpal tunnel syndrome and other joint issues. On the contrary to it, paper use is not hazardous to human health.
4) When there are creative projects in the offices such as designing and art related projects, the paper is more convenient as compared to computer-based working. You can change and alter the designs on the spot but on screen, it is very difficult to make changes once you have designed the project. Brainstorming, sketching, note-taking is most handily on paper.
All these were the advantages of paper office which explained the importance of it. The disadvantages are also there which are indisputable, making digital paper storage more reliable. These disadvantages are discussed below.
DISADVANTAGES OF PAPER
1) The environmental point of view makes paper dangerous because of the fact that paper production is the third most energy consuming way of production.
2) 45% of paper is wasted at the end of the day, contributing in the trash increase per day.
3) Paper is expensive because it includes the use of paper along with a printer, ink, fax machines, so on and so forth.
4) More than 70% of businesses today would fail within the first three weeks if they suffered a disastrous damage to paper-based records due to fire or flood. Paper files are more prone to hazards like fire, hurricanes, floods etc.
5) Paper files take up more office space as each four-drawer file cabinet holds an average of 10,000 to 12,000 documents, takes up to 9 square feet of floor space and costs $1,500 per year.
Pros and cons of paper show that going paperless is more beneficial for businesses these days. This point will get more clarified when the advantages and disadvantages of the paperless office will be mentioned.
ADVANTAGES OF PAPERLESS OFFICE
Pros and cons of the paper discussed above show that going paperless is more beneficial for businesses these days. Business Process Management automates business with more advanced features, which are fruitful for any company. It manages the processes of doing business, making the companies more advanced to keep up with the pace of technology progression. The advantages of a paperless office are discussed as under.
1) Going paperless makes storage of files easier rather than paper. Paper files are hard to keep a track and to find when in need. Digital Document Management System Software makes your office clutter free from bundles of paper.
2) Electronically storing of files on a software makes it easier for future use along with easy access to edit and transform the document electronically.
3) Cabinets of files are difficult to manage and digging through the files is a hard job. With the help of electronic data storage, the access to business files and data is quick and just a click away from you.
4) The rate of development of your business is more efficient in the Digital Document Management System rather than paper files. The rate of improvement is also bettered by the use of digital management of files.
5) The Document Imaging System is more secure than paper bundles because they cannot be breached if they are saved through passwords and they are not disposed to hazards like floods, fire, and other unfortunate incidents.
Along with the advantages, there are some disadvantages of the document management system as well which will be discussed in order to make a fair judgment between paper vs. paperless. These disadvantages are discussed below.
1) There are potential hackers nowadays whose efficiency is up to the mark and they can breach your online data within hours. A fresh example of this can be seen in the recent US elections when the data of voters was hacked, leaving the USA dumbstruck at the incident. This makes digital management unsafe and unreliable.
2) When your data is saved on a software, there are chances of hardware and software problems which shows up at the time of some problem in the system. This makes the digital management inefficient.
3) Viruses in the computer systems can also damage the data. These viruses are dangerous to the valuable data of companies therefore, you must take an account of this issue when relying on digital document management.
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